WOONSOCKET – A North Smithfield woman who worked at Chelo’s is facing embezzlement charges for concocting a scheme to pay herself from the customer “rewards” program using phony accounts, police say.
Jessica St. Hilaire, 41, of 190 Mechanic St., was arrested on Tuesday, Dec. 23 after the vice president of the popular restaurant group filed a complaint with the police. She was charged with one count of embezzlement and fraudulent conversion over $100, a felony.
Police brought her in for questioning after the Chelo’s executive told police she had pilfered some $520 from the restaurant since December 2024 – apparently in multiple $5 increments, according to the arrest report. The company executive said the theft was flagged by software the company uses to detect fraud.
Police reports say St. Hilaire admitted to the scheme and explained that it worked by setting up “ghost accounts” to cheat the customer rewards program. She reportedly told Officer Sean Becker that she used her telephone number – and that of at least one other person – to activate the program for unsuspecting customers who paid in cash and did not want to participate in the incentive.
Each time she did it, she would accumulate “points” toward a $5 coupon from the restaurant. Customers are supposed to use the coupon to pay a portion of a restaurant meal, but St. Hilaire reportedly told police she would redeem them in cash for herself.
It’s unclear how often St. Hilaire allegedly abused the rewards program, but based on pure math, it was quite often, since she apparently qualified for 104 coupons in the span of about a year. Many restaurants employ such programs, and they typically require customers to purchase multiple meals to earn one reward.
The vice president of Chelo’s – whose name was redacted from police reports – told investigators that when the company found out what St. Hilaire was allegedly doing, he offered not to go to the police if she agreed to reimburse Chelo’s.
The vice president “stated that if Jessica was willing to pay the company back the $520 that she took then they would not file a complaint, however, Jessica was unwilling to do so,” Becker’s report states.
St. Hilaire, who has no prior arrest history, was released on personal recognizance after an appearance in Sixth District Court, according to the judiciary’s website. She has another hearing scheduled for Monday, March 16.
I’m sorry but I personally know her and yes she did something dumb but you don’t know what she has been though also she offered to pay the money back she just could not do it that same day she has 3 kids she was preparing a Christmas for she said once she had another job she could pay them back so your story is not entirely true. Her address she not be posted you don’t know about the stalkers that would come into her job now you just opened up a window for them so unsafe and unprofessional.
Brian, I appreciate your generosity of heart in this matter. Yes, she did wrong, yes she admitted it…what next? Cut off her hands? She worked at Chelo’s for any number of years and Chelo’s could have offered assistance in resolution of the matter. They might have offered her additional shifts to recoup the money or taken some money out of her paycheck. Certainly, far worse is occurring on a daily basis by those whose financials are based on the backs of the working class. They skate while the hardworking waitress, making next to nothing has to pay the price. If we went back to “an eye for an eye,” form of justice there may be many more wealthy blinded than there are. Certainly, the rich skate….
That’s it, The offender is the victim and the successor is the offender. Totally makes sense. NOT!!
Why don’t you head to Venezuela or Cuba…
I’m sorry but it is Christmas time not saying she was right for doing what she did but who knows what she could have been going through the chelos should have fired her long before it went that far my oppion they waited till she hit the 500 mark so they could charge her with a felony and that is so wrong in so many ways and since when is it ok to publish the victims address that’s just wrong
Are you referring to the individual charged as the victim? We do not publish victim’s addresses – or even names typically.
Victim? The suspect was identified as that is public knowledge. The actual victim (Chelo’s) was not identified. Theft is theft stop trying to minimize it.
I wrongly used my words incorrectly she is not the victim but yet the accuser I just disagree with the public having knowledge of her place where her and her family rest there head. She is no victim and I’m sure she is feeling the repercussions of her mistakes now. She has no prior records I believe this a innocent mistake that could possibly ruin her life now. By her own choices of course. As for the chelos they should have fired her once they caught eye of theft I’m sure they have known for some time now it’s a felony.
You make no sense whatsoever.
Chelos should have fired her sooner to do her better and not allow it to become a felony?
We should have pity because she could not pay them back in one day, but if she got another job she could pay them back?
We should have pity because she committed a yr of stealing cash because she has kids to feed and it was Christmas?
So then, where are you helping her in all this? To have prevented it perhaps? Or the father of the children?
While I also find it hard to believe that it took a yr for their theft program to catch it, seems odd, theft is theft. Perhaps though, had they counseled her, earlier, found out what she was going through, maybe would be beneficial. You cannot justify repeat theft. Maybe had she gone to her employer for help, advice, who knows. So many ways to look at this, many questions, few answers, but blaming a business for catching a thief, no.
Me thinks you need to capture the fraud sooner than a yr later! And what a nice restaurant to have allowed her to reimburse and be done with it and her job. Now it will cost her much much more. She evidently called his bluff……foolish.